EU to buy weapons and equipment for Arctic operations, von der Leyen says

The European Union will begin purchasing weapons and equipment suitable for operations in the Arctic, including icebreakers, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

Speaking at a news conference after an extraordinary EU summit focused on Greenland, von der Leyen said the bloc would also strengthen cooperation with Greenland and increase investment in the region.

She added that the EU intends to deepen cooperation with the United States and other partners on Arctic security, using higher defence spending to acquire specialised equipment such as a European icebreaker.